Tag Archives: FRA

Business

FRA Endorses the Use of Real Christmas Trees

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FRA has endorsed reports from a sustainability expert in Canada, claiming that buying a real tree is a much better choice, from a sustainability perspective, than opting for a fake tree.

Seattle, United States, December 18, 2012 — Forestry Research Associates (FRA) has endorsed reports from a sustainability expert in Canada, claiming that buying a real tree is a much better choice, from a sustainability perspective, than opting for a fake tree.

Artificial plastic trees would need to be kept for many years to ensure that the carbon emitted in their production is saved. However, most of them head to landfill within a few years. Steve Mitchell, a lecturer on sustainability issues at the University of British Columbia, stated, “Artificial trees need to be kept for 20 years for the carbon emissions to be equivalent to using natural trees.” He cited evidence from a study carried out by sustainability consultancy Ellipses in 2009.

FRA’s analysis partner, Peter Collins, said, “There are, of course, many choices to make when it comes to buying a real tree, with some options being more eco-friendly than others. However, providing you choose a Christmas tree from a sustainable plantation, you are likely to make a greener choice than if you go with an artificial tree.”

FRA claims that it is always a good idea to try to buy your Christmas tree from as close to your home as possible, to minimize the carbon emissions from the transport of the tree. Wild trees can be an option for some people, but it’s recommended that you check the local laws on using wild trees in your area.

Another green option is to buy a Christmas tree with a root ball still attached so that it can continue to grow after Christmas. “Planting your Christmas tree in your yard after the festive season is over is a lovely thing to do and you might even get more than one Christmas out of the same tree,” added Mr Collins.

FRA supports sustainable forestry investment and proved research and advisory services for those thinking of investing in forestry or timberland, through firms like Greenwood Management, which operates sustainable Christmas tree plantations in Canada.

About Forestry Research Associates

Forestry Research Associates is a research and advisory consultancy that focuses on forestry management, sustainability issues and forestry investment around the globe.

Media Contact:
Peter Collins
Forestry Research Associates
620 Vineyard Lane
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
(206) 316 8394
info@forestry-research.com
http://www.forestry-research.com

Business

FRA Welcomes Tetra Pak Sustainability Credentials

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FRA has welcomed news that some 20 million cartons made by packaging giant Tetra Pak have carried the FSC logo in the past year.

Seattle, United States, December 8, 2012 — Forestry Research Associates (FRA) has welcomed news that some 20 million cartons made by packaging giant Tetra Pak have carried the FSC logo in the past year.

This means that 20 million of the cartons were sourced from renewable forests, certified by the Forestry Stewardship Council. It also represents a major increase from the 8 million that carried the logo in 2010.

Håkan Wirtén, from WWF Sweden, welcomed the news. He said, “This is a clearly positive achievement which contributes to protect forests and improve forest management globally.”

“WWF encourages Tetra Pak and other companies to continuously increase the use of FSC-certified materials and products.”

The WWF charity advocates the use of FSC-certified timber in packaging, furniture and building supplies manufacture. FRA, a research and analysis consultancy, specialising in forestry investment issues, also backs the use of FSC-certified timber. “There is really no excuse not to use sustainably produced timber these days, as it is widely available to all,” stated FRA’s analysis partner, Peter Collins.

The Tetra Pak cartons have been carrying the FSC logo since 2007, when UK supermarket chain store Sainsbury’s sold the first sustainably-sourced cartons. Now, the global brand supplies retailers in 39 countries with the FSC-certified cartons and continues to work towards improving its sustainability credentials all the time.

Tetra Pak’s vice president of marketing, Charles Brand, said that its decision to go sustainable wasn’t just to do with the boosting its credentials, but is also simply a response to consumer demand. “With more consumers and retailers demanding environmentally sound and ethically produced products, brands that carry the FSC label can attest that their products are packaged using material that has passed the toughest standards of responsible forest management.”

FRA backs sustainable forestry projects and encourages investment in plantations that are run sustainably, like those operated by firms like Greenwood Management in Brazil.

About Forestry Research Associates

Forestry Research Associates is a research and advisory consultancy that focuses on forestry management, sustainability issues and forestry investment around the globe.

Media Contact:
Peter Collins
Forestry Research Associates
620 Vineyard Lane
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
(206) 316 8394
info@forestry-research.com
http://www.forestry-research.com

Business

FRA welcomes Timber Investment Endorsement

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FRA has welcomed a recent endorsement of timber and forestry investment from Adam Waldman of GreenWorld, through an article written for Tecnorati.com.

Bainbridge Island, WA, December 07, 2012 – Forestry Research Associates (FRA) has welcomed a recent endorsement of timber and forestry investment from Adam Waldman of GreenWorld, through an article written for Tecnorati.com. He points out that, while many people may not have thought about timber as an asset class option before, institutional investors are starting to see the potential in timber and individual investors should too.

Mr Waldman gives the example of how Harvard University is investing large amounts into forestry and timber, along with a major Russian and Chinese joint venture, which has recently decided to invest $200 million in the asset class.

FRA, a research and analysis organisation specialising in timber investment, has welcomed the article and backs Mr Waldman’s claims that forestry investment can provide a very effective hedge against inflation. He even points out that timber can act as a more affordable hedge than precious metals as timber prices follow general price trends, in much the same way as gold and silver.

As well as this benefit, he also points out the returns on timber investment have been very good over the past decade, outperforming stocks and shares returns by a considerable margin. FRA’s analysis partner, Peter Collins, added that forestry also provides a very good means of diversifying a portfolio against risk at a time when the stock market remains extremely volatile.

“If your trees reach maturity but timber prices aren’t that great, you can simply leave them growing and watch your asset gain value in front of your eyes, ready for a market upturn,” stated Mr Collins, In this way, timber investment is a relatively risk-averse investment, claims FRA.

FRA supports a number of forestry investment schemes all over the world, including Greenwood Management’s sustainable plantations in Brazil. These offer individuals the chance to invest in their own section of timberland for as little as $15,000.

Contact:
Peter Collins
Forestry Research Associates
620 Vineyard Lane
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
(206) 316 8394
info@forestry-research.com
http://www.forestry-research.com

Business

FRA claims Timber demand in Brazil is Growing

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There has been a marked increase in the demand for timber in Brazil, driving up local timber prices, according to FRA.

Bainbridge Island, WA, November 17, 2012 – There has been a marked increase in the demand for timber in Brazil, driving up local timber prices, according to Forestry Research Associates (FRA).

The research and analysis consultancy was responding to the recent figures published by Wood Resources Quarterly. The figures show that the investment in housing and infrastructure in Brazil is resulting in major growth in the timber industry, with more and more timber being required for construction, energy and charcoal purposes.

In addition to the local demand, the fact that the Brazilian real has been losing value has meant that Brazil’s own timber and timber products are growing in popularity abroad, leading to more exportation of Brazilian-sourced timber.

“The vital part in all of this,” claims FRA’s analysis partner, Peter Collins, “is that the timber being used at home and exported abroad is sustainably sourced.

“It would be a tragedy if the demand led to more deforestation in the Amazon, for example.”

FRA is now calling for more investment in Brazilian plantation projects, such as those run by Greenwood Management, which manages fast-growing, non-native species of tree in sustainable forestry plantations for use in construction and charcoal production.

What’s more, those who invest in this type of plantation will see healthy returns as demand for timber increases and prices grow in response. Although the price being paid for timber and products like Pulpwood are coming down from a US dollar perspective, the real’s value has dropped, which means the prices being paid locally are actually increasing significantly and have been for some time.

“It’s a great time to invest in managed forestry in Brazil,” claimed Mr Collins. He added, “market conditions are looking strong and for alternative investors, timber offers a prefect mix of returns on investment and ethical credentials, which makes it an attractive choice for many following the economic crisis.”

Contact:
Peter Collins
Forestry Research Associates
620 Vineyard Lane
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
(206) 316 8394
info@forestry-research.com
http://www.forestry-research.com

Business

Forestry can help to Diversify Portfolio, says FRA

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A recent article from GreenWorld BVI, calling for gold investors to supplement their portfolios with agriculture and forestry investment, has been endorsed by FRA.

Seattle, United States, November 16, 2012 — A recent article from GreenWorld BVI, calling for gold investors to supplement their portfolios with agriculture and forestry investment, has been endorsed by Forestry Research Associates (FRA).

The main reason that GreenWorld gives for diversifying away from solely gold investment included the fact that gold does not pay an income until it is sold. It is also a “faith-based investment”, as GeernWorld explained: “Gold is largely an economically unproductive asset.”

Agriculture and forestry are alternative asset classes, as gold is, and they also tend to keep their value during times of economic turmoil and offer a buffer against inflation, like gold. However, through investing in managed forestry and agriculture projects, investors can also enjoy regular incomes. An example is the projects run by Greenwood Management in Brazil, claims FRA.

These projects are intended to offer mid-to long-term investment options for those who want to buy up their own piece of sustainable forestry. Through working with Greenwood Management, investors enjoy the benefits of having their own managed forest land, while receiving income in the form of payouts when trees are harvested in a cyclical process. The timberland is managed to ensure there is new growth to replace mature trees that are cut down and sold. Trees that are sold generate returns for investors, who also enjoy a pay out when their investment reaches maturity.

Investing in forestry is a good option for any risk-averse investors who want to diversify their portfolio further. Spreading investment between several different asset classes offers good protection against risk and forestry is one of the most risk-averse assets. This is because timber simply carries on growing in size and value all the time, so if the market conditions aren’t right when investors want to sell, they can simply hang on a little longer and sell a larger product at a higher price.

About Forestry Research Associates

Forestry Research Associates is a research and advisory consultancy that focuses on forestry management, sustainability issues and forestry investment around the globe.

Media Contact:
Peter Collins
Forestry Research Associates
620 Vineyard Lane
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
(206) 316 8394
info@forestry-research.com
http://www.forestry-research.com

Business

FRA agrees that Timberland is a good Long-Term Investment

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A recent article by Wyatt Investment Research published by Nasdaq.com discusses claims that timberland could be a better long-term investment option than gold. The report has attracted much support from FRA, a forestry investment analysis group that believes timberland is a strong and reliable long-term asset class.

Seattle, United States, November 14, 2012 — A recent article by Wyatt Investment Research published by Nasdaq.com discusses claims that timberland could be a better long-term investment option than gold. The report has attracted much support from Forestry Research Associates (FRA), a forestry investment analysis group that believes timberland is a strong and reliable long-term asset class.

The article from Wyatt Investment Research says that one of the main reasons trees are a great long-term option is that healthy trees physically grow by around 4 per 6 per cent in value each year. The article concludes that timber is indeed “better than the stock market as a long-term investment.” It then asks whether it can compare to a commodity like gold for long-term returns on investment.

Between 1991 and 2010, timberland investors saw returns averaging 11.16 per cent per year, with gold investors seeing gains of just 7 per cent each year during the same period. However, the article claims that people buy gold and timberland for very different reasons. “It’s right that people buy gold primarily to protect the value of their investments and protect their cash from wider economic factors, such as inflation,” explained FRA’s analysis partner, Peter Collins.

“However, timberland can offer these benefits as well, as timber tends to emerge from recessions and other economic crises relatively unscathed.”

One of the main benefits of investing in timber is the fact that the owner of the trees does not have to sell if conditions aren’t quite right when the trees reach maturity. If timber prices are low, they can continue to grow in size and in value until the market is just right. As a result, investing in timberland can be one of a least risky strategies during tough economic times, added Mr Collins.

FRA is a research and analysis consultancy focusing on forestry investment. It supports a range of forestry investment schemes, such as those run by Greenwood Management in Brazil and Canada.

Media Contact:
Peter Collins
Forestry Research Associates
620 Vineyard Lane
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
(206) 316 8394
info@forestry-research.com
http://www.forestry-research.com

Business

Investment Expert says Timber to outperform all other Asset Classes

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The latest prediction from investment guru Jeremy Grantham that timber will outperform all other asset classes in the coming seven years has been welcomed by FRA.

Seattle, United States, November 2, 2012 — The latest prediction from investment guru Jeremy Grantham that timber will outperform all other asset classes in the coming seven years has been welcomed by Forestry Research Associates (FRA).

The research and analysis consultancy supports forestry investment and is backing Mr Grantham’s prediction that annualized returns for timber investors will reach around 6.5 per cent over the coming years. Grantham is well-known in investment circles for co-founding the Grantham Mayo Van Otterloo (GMO) fund and has made a number of accurate prediction about asset bubbles in the past.

“It’s a good idea to take note of Grantham’s predictions when it comes to the next big asset,” claimed FRA’s analysis partner, Peter Collins. “At a time when stocks and bonds are continuing to struggle to generate anything near a strong return, a growing number of investors are looking for the perfect alternative asset class in which to put their hard-earned cash – and timber could be just that.”

In addition Grantham’s predictions may be on the modest side, as they only take inflation of 2.2 per cent into account. With higher inflation, returns from timber investment could be even higher.

The average price of timber has risen by 5 per cent each year for the past 100 years and timber tends to do particularly well during times of economic hardship, making it a very attractive prospect at the moment. For example, between 1973 and 1981 when the US inflation rates grew to as high as 9.2 per cent, timber prices were increasing at a rate of 22 per cent per year.

Mr Collins added, “Investing in timber through sustainable projects like those run by Greenwood Management in Brazil offers an ethical way to invest in managed forestry and a great opportunity to see strong returns while helping to reduce climate change and deforestation.”

About Forestry Research Associates

Forestry Research Associates is a research and advisory consultancy that focuses on forestry management, sustainability issues and forestry investment around the globe.

Media Contact:
Peter Collins
Forestry Research Associates
620 Vineyard Lane
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
(206) 316 8394
info@forestry-research.com
http://www.forestry-research.com

Business

Hurricane Sandy boosts Timber prices, claims FRA

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Timber prices are rising as a result of the devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy, which could mean growing returns for those with investments in timberland, according to reports by FRA.

Bainbridge Island, WA, November 01, 2012 – Timber prices are rising as a result of the devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy, which could mean growing returns for those with investments in timberland, according to reports by Forestry Research Associates (FRA).

The Chicago Mercantile Exchange was up yesterday by the maximum daily rate of $10 for 1,000 board feet. The rise is the result of the demand for timber for use in the rebuilding of thousands of homes, which were damaged by the hurricane throughout the Eastern US. Daryl Swetlishoff, form Raymond James Ltd, told Canada’s Globe and Mail Newspaper, “Lumber prices are atypically high for this point in the year, and bucking a seasonal trend already.

“For the near term, even if the hurricane is partially a psychological impact on lumber, prices are going to be buoyant, he added.

Several large forestry firms in Canada are now preparing to up their production in order to meet the new demand for lumber. The US might also import timber from elsewhere, such as Latin America, according to FRA’s analysis partner Peter Collins. Mr Collins explained: “The impact of Sandy was obviously devastating for many people living on the East Coast and the demand for timber to quickly rebuild their homes will be huge.”

Investing in sustainable timber, through plantation projects like those run by Greenwood Management and other similar firms in Brazil, can be a lucrative option at the moment. “Several analysts are predicting a boom in timber prices as demand continues to creep up,” added Mr Collins.

Mr Swetlishoff added, “A shock like this could keep prices higher and for longer in a season when it is typically weak. We’re tempering our view by saying that prices were already a bit elevated.”

Prices are high due to strong demand from emerging economies like China and India, which are importing huge amounts of timber for house building and infrastructure development.

Contact:
Peter Collins
Forestry Research Associates
620 Vineyard Lane
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
(206) 316 8394
info@forestry-research.com
http://www.forestry-research.com

Business

Thinning payouts will attract more people to forestry investment, claims FRA

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News that a forestry investment firm is making interim payouts to investors, as a result of a thinning process, will attract others to forestry investment, according to FRA.

Seattle, United States, October 26, 2012 — News that a forestry investment firm is making interim payouts to investors, as a result of a thinning process, will attract others to forestry investment, according to Forestry Research Associates (FRA).

Forestry investment firm Greenwood Management has announced it is hoping to make its first payout to investors who have been with the company since ‘Phase 1’ of their Acacia project, in Spring 2013. The payout will take place after Greenwood has undertaken a thinning exercise, which removes some of the trees in a plantation to allow others to flourish and grow as strong and large as possible, thus maximizing the quality of the final harvest.

The trees that are removed through the thinning process are sold for use in the production of charcoal or for use in fence construction, for example. FRA’s analysis partner, Peter Collins, stated, “This type of forestry investment model ensures that anyone investing in timberland doesn’t have to wait until final harvest to see returns on their investment – they see returns throughout the process, which is a very attractive prospect for those looking for a more medium-term asset class.”

Greenwood Management’s Acacia plantation is one of its most established and the initial Phase 1 investments were made back in 2008. Greenwood claims that the project is “well on target” with its, “operating model and is progressing extremely well in Bahia state, Brazil.”

The final harvest of the trees in which people have invested should be sold for a much higher value, as they will be larger and of the best quality, explained Greenwood Management. However, it added that it will try to optimize the returns from the thinning process for investors, which means ensuring that the timber is sold when market conditions are at their best.

About Forestry Research Associates

Forestry Research Associates is a research and advisory consultancy that focuses on forestry management, sustainability issues and forestry investment around the globe.

Media Contact:
Peter Collins
Forestry Research Associates
620 Vineyard Lane
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
(206) 316 8394
info@forestry-research.com
http://www.forestry-research.com

Business

FRA Lends Support to Greenpeace over APP sourcing

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FRA has spoken out to support Greenpeace Southeast Asia in calling for more commitments from Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) over its use of rainforest-sourced timber in its products.

Bainbridge Island, WA, October 25, 2012 – Forestry Research Analysis (FRA) has spoken out to support Greenpeace Southeast Asia in calling for more commitments from Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) over its use of rainforest-sourced timber in its products.

The statement from Greenpeace’s Bustar Maitar called for APP to make a firm commitment not to use rainforest timber. This follows reports that APP had teamed up with Swiss NGO, The Forest Trust, to try to improve the sustainability of its supply chain.

His statement said, “APP must immediately stop accepting timber from natural forest clearance and confirm that no expansion will take place unless that expansion and the rest of APP’s production is wholly reliant on plantation fiber.”

FRA, a research and analysis consultancy specializing in sustainable forestry investment issues, agreed adding: “We support Greenpeace’s calls for more commitment from APP over its sourcing policies – until we see some concrete evidence that the firm has stopped using timber sourced from rainforests, many onlookers will be taking their plans with a pinch of salt.”

Mr Maitar goes on to claim that the association with the Forest Trust is a “PR campaign”, while FRA’s analysis partner, Peter Collins, added that the issue was particularly concerning as a result of the firm’s recent link with a new mill in Sumatra. This mill is expected to have the capacity to process two million tons of timber each year. “Indonesia’s rainforest are extremely vulnerable and are still very much at threat from logging,” added Mr Collins.

FRA is an advocate of sustainable forestry investment and promotes projects like those run by firms such as Greenwood Management in Brazil and elsewhere. “Investing in plantations projects that are managed on a cyclical model can help to reduce the pressure to use rainforest timber, by providing an alternative that is much less harmful to the environment,” added Mr Collins.

Contact:
Peter Collins
Forestry Research Associates
620 Vineyard Lane
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
(206) 316 8394
info@forestry-research.com
http://www.forestry-research.co.uk